Many different kinds of portfolios, display binders, books, and folders exist, which hereinafter will be referred to generally as folders. Some well known types include three ring binders, spiral-bound notebooks and clasped folders. These are used to retain individual sheets, usually of paper, so that they can viewed as if they were bound in a book. Sometimes clear envelopes are included to retain and protect flat items for later display or study. These retained items typically include warranties, magazine clippings, reports and graphs, certificates, legal documents, photographs and negatives, collectible stamps and any other flat items including pressed flowers or other organic samples, where clear, usually plastic, envelopes can provide safe storage and display. When relatively bulky items are to be stored and displayed, it is desirable to provide some sort of positive closure so that the display pages are protected by the relatively stiff outer binding, yet it is desirable that the folder itself is lightweight and is constructed from relatively economical single sheet materials, such as plastic.
When what is stored within the pages of such a folder is heavy, deformation of the folder leading to collapse can be troublesome especially when such collapse happens at a particularly serious portion of a presentation when laughter is not appropriate. Therefore, there is a need for lightweight, yet robust folders, especially those of the three ring type include index pages, constructed from relatively lightweight and flexible materials that can be formed into a support for display of the contents thereof which when so formed, is structurally rigid material yet when not so formed is a light protective folder, with positive closure.
The present invention is a display folder having covers which surround a plurality of transparent display envelopes. The display folder may have three or four sheet sides and is configurable into supported triangular structure so that relatively heavy displays can be shown. When in its triangular display position a support folds down to engage the base of the triangle and maintain the triangular shape. The transparent display envelopes are supported at the apex of the triangle and flipped over the top. If it is desired to display on both sides of the folder, the display envelopes may have identical facing displays so that when the envelopes are flipped over the top of the triangle the same display appears on both sides of the folder. The covers wrap around the display envelopes to securely protect them and optional fastening devices can be provided to assure that the covers remain about the display envelopes when not on display.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively light weight and economical display folder which is easily deployed into a robust stand, which is self-supporting on a horizontal surface.
Another object is to provide a display folder with positive fasteners to assure that the covers of the folders remain around the displays when such are desired.
Another object is to provide a display folder which is relatively economical to manufacture so that it can be sold at prices competitive to non-display folders.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed specification and drawings wherein: